And good ole Ike was asked by BOTH parties to run.
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Yes, yet my Grandfather, of Irish descent, a man who walked a mail route for 40 some years in Upstate NY, was such an entrenched D that he ‘despised’ Ike because he ran as an R. -
Naturally, at the time I really had no idea why he felt like he did but seeing as Ike was elected in 52, by the time I went in the Navy in 56 and my GF was retiring around 58 or so he may have seen what was up and WE may have ‘suffered’ because Ike ran as an R rather than D -

GF had a ‘problem’ with me going in the Navy because no war was on and that SOB ‘R’ was in office, also refused a retirement certificate signed by DDE.
I couldn’t ‘understand’ that but I would probably be loathe to accept something signed by BO or WJC for that matter.

Completely understand. I’m Irish, too, and it’s apparently more difficult to break with the Rat party than to break with the Catholic Church (which many have done). If it helps, I don’t think anyone truly understands DDE and his utter lack of Conservative creds until he’s aware of what Ike did to Joe McCarthy.